If approved, odronextamab would be the first and only bispecific antibody approved in both FL and DLBCL – the two most common subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma
European Medicines Agency also reviewing odronextamab Marketing Authorization Application
TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for Priority Review the Biologics License Application (BLA) for odronextamab to treat adult patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) or R/R diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), who have progressed after at least two prior systemic therapies. The target action date for the FDA decision is March 31, 2024. Odronextamab is an investigational CD20xCD3 bispecific antibody designed to bridge CD20 on cancer cells with CD3-expressing T cells to facilitate local T-cell activation and cancer-cell killing.
The BLA was supported by data from a Phase 1 and pivotal Phase 2 trial (ELM-1 and ELM-2). Results from these studies investigating odronextamab in both FL and DLBCL were last presented at the 64th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.
The FDA previously granted odronextamab Orphan Drug Designation and Fast Track Designation for FL and DLBCL. In August, the European Medicines Agency accepted for review a Marketing Authorization Application for odronextamab for the treatment of adult patients with R/R FL or R/R DLBCL who have progressed after at least two prior systemic therapies.
FL and DLBCL are the two most common subtypes of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). FL is a slow-growing subtype, and although many patients are responsive to initial treatment, approximately 20% are expected to relapse within two years and have shorter remissions with each successive line of therapy. DLBCL is an aggressive subtype, with up to 50% of high-risk patients experiencing progression after first-line treatment (e.g., relapsing or refractory to treatment). As these blood cancers progress, they become increasingly hard to treat, especially in the third-line setting and beyond, leaving patients with few treatment options.
Odronextamab is currently under clinical development, and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.
About the Odronextamab Clinical Program
ELM-1 is an ongoing, open-label, multicenter Phase 1 trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of odronextamab in patients with CD20+ B-cell malignancies previously treated with CD20-directed antibody therapy, including an expansion cohort evaluating DLBCL patients who had progressed on CAR-T therapy (post-CAR-T). ELM-2 is an ongoing, open-label, multicenter pivotal Phase 2 trial investigating odronextamab in 375 patients across five independent disease-specific cohorts, including DLBCL, FL, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma and other subtypes of B-NHL. The primary endpoint of ELM-2 is objective response rate according to the Lugano Classification, and secondary endpoints include complete response, progression-free survival, overall survival, duration of response, disease control rate, safety and quality of life.
Regeneron is also initiating a broad Phase 3 development program to investigate odronextamab in earlier lines of therapy and other B-NHLs, representing one of the largest clinical programs in lymphoma.
About Regeneron’s Approach to Cancer Research
At Regeneron, we’re applying more than three decades of scientific innovation with the goal of developing paradigm-changing therapies for patients with cancer.
Our portfolio is built around two foundational approaches – our approved PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo® (cemiplimab-rwlc) and investigational bispecific antibodies – which are being evaluated both as monotherapies and in combination with emerging therapeutic modalities. Together, they provide us with unique combinatorial flexibility to develop potentially synergistic treatments for a wide range of solid tumors and blood cancers.
If you are interested in learning more about our clinical trials, please contact us (clinicaltrials@regeneron.com or 1-844-734-6643) or visit our clinical trials website.
About Regeneron
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading biotechnology company that invents, develops and commercializes life-transforming medicines for people with serious diseases. Founded and led for 35 years by physician-scientists, our unique ability to repeatedly and consistently translate science into medicine has led to numerous FDA-approved treatments and product candidates in development, almost all of which were homegrown in our laboratories. Regeneron’s medicines and pipeline are designed to help patients with eye diseases, allergic and inflammatory diseases, cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, hematologic conditions, infectious diseases and rare diseases.
Regeneron is accelerating and improving the traditional drug development process through its proprietary VelociSuite® technologies, such as VelocImmune®, which uses unique genetically humanized mice to produce optimized fully human antibodies and bispecific antibodies, and through ambitious research initiatives such as the Regeneron Genetics Center®, which is conducting one of the largest genetics sequencing efforts in the world.
For additional information about Regeneron, please visit www.regeneron.com or follow Regeneron on LinkedIn.
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Source: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.